A Call for Democracy

Did you know it’s been a FULL year, since the 100 Litres crew started with the concept of making a water rights documentary that focuses on the solidarity between Detroit and Ireland? While we’re still in the fundraising stages to finish the production of this film, we have noticed a few patterns in our research. One, major theme: Neoliberalism is ripping our world apart.

According to a study by the Stockholm Resilience Centre, in just 60 years Neoliberal Capitalism has decimated our ecosystems, hurled our planet into the dangerous unknown territory of climate chaos, and has completely destroyed whole economies; all in the name of profit.

Neoliberalism, ideology and policy model that emphasizes the value of free market competition. Although there is considerable debate as to the defining features of neoliberal thought and practice, it is most commonly associated with laissez-faire economics. In particular, neoliberalism is often characterized in terms of its belief in sustained economic growth as the means to achieve human progress, its confidence in free markets as the most-efficient allocation of resources, its emphasis on minimal state intervention in economic and social affairs, and its commitment to the freedom of trade and capital.

As another Earth Day comes and goes, I thought this holiday could serve as an opportunity to show readers that what 100 Litres is covering doesn’t end at human rights. Since I started this project, I’ve found that the mindset of the CEOs, banks, and governments that we’re researching aren’t thinking about your grandchildren, or even their grandchildren; they’re only thinking about the next quarter’s profits or the next election. This shortsighted way of life explains why so many monstrosities have been committed against our planet. Earth Day is here to remind us that it’s time to stop putting profits before people, ecosystems, and all of the living things that rely on this planet, our home.

While it’s impossible to offer a one-size-fits-all answer to the world’s problems, our goal with this film is showviewers that there are people offering solutions to many of the world’s problems. The ordinary citizens we’re covering are taking their futures and their grandchildren’s futures into their own hands by hitting the streets, running for political office, or learning what they can; and we plan to bring their stories to a mass audience. In honor of Earth Day and this beautiful planet that sustains us, I’m encouraging anyone reading this to do something too. The time to keep trusting the political and economic systems we have in place is long gone. It’s time to use our skills for the greater good, get out and talk to people, and find a way to peacefully (and progressively) act for the good of everyone and this planet that we all share.